Curling bobbin and heater

ABSTRACT

A curling bobbin and heater assembly includes a bobbin having an outer cylinder with a plurality of radial projections for twining hair, an intermediate cylinder formed of heat storing material, such as paraffin or polycarbonate, and an inner cylinder formed of a material of high thermal conductivity. The inner and outer cylinders are attached by means of an inwardly directed flanged portion on the outer cylinder. The inner cylinder closely fits around and receives a cylindrical electric-heating element is detachable from a base member which includes terminal pins which are received in corresponding sockets on the heating element. The heating element is detachably secured to the inner shell of the bobbin so that, is desired, the heating element and bobbin can be removed from the base member as a unit.

United States Patent- [72] Inventor TomioMakino Tokyo, Japan [21]AppLNo. 734,095 [22] Filed June3,1968 [45] Patented May 25, 1971 [73]Assignee NichielDenkiSangyo K.K.

[54] CURLlNG BOBBIN AND HEATER 8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 9/222, 132/33,2l9/2 9/521 [51] lnt.Cl .f. A45d4/12, A45d2/36, H05b 1/00 [50] FieldofSearch 219/222- [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,942,972 1/1934 Moseley 219/222(UX) 2,126,170 8/1938-Calvete 219/222(UX) 3,415,254 12/1968 Brocketal. 219/222X 3,472,24510/1969 Abe 219/222(UX) 3,473,005 10/1969 Grandinetti 219/222 re.l8,0886/1931 Boyden 219/222(UX) 2,166,810 7/1939 Gammeter 219/242(UX)2,467,447 4/1949 Strezoff...' 219/313 2,708,796 5/1955 Adamy 219/521X3,257,541 6/1966 Jorgensen 219/222 3,410,985 11/1968 Giacchero 219/521XFOREIGN PATENTS 808,747 1 l/ 1936 France 219/242 679,332 1/1930 France219/222 908,197 8/1945 France 219/242 619,628 3/1949 Great Britain132/36 333,569 l/1935 Italy 219/222 Primary Examiner-A. BartisAttorneys-Robert E. Burns and Emmanuel .l. Lobato responding sockets onthe heating element. The heating element is detachably secured to theinner shell of the bobbin so that, is desired, the heating element andbobbin can be removed from the base member as a unit.

CURLING BOBBIN AND HEATER DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The inventionrelates in general to hair curling bobbins and more particularly tobobbins having heated and heat transfer devices.

An object of this invention is to provide a curling bobbin with adetachable internal heating device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a curling bobbin having ahighly efficient heat transmission path from the heater to theheat-storing material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a curling bobbin, havinga heater, that is easily mounted on a base.

In accordance with the invention, a heating element is inserted in abobbin comprising an outer cylinder having projections, an innercylinder closely fitting the heating element and an intermediatecylinder of heat-storing material between the inner and outer cylinders.The heating element is detachably secured in the bobbin so that, ifdesired, the heating element and bobbin can be removed from the base asa unit.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had byreferring to the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a'partial longitudinal sectional view of the curling bobbin inaccordance with the invention,

' FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the base,

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the bobbin mounted onthe base,

FIG. 4 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the curling bobbinwith the heater removed,

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the heater mounted on thebase,

FIG. 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of an alternativeconstruction of the heater,

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative construction of thebase, and

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the bobbin mounted onthe alternative construction heater and on the alternative constructionbase.

With reference to the drawing a connector base 1.0 which isapproximately rectangular in plan view is made of insulating material,such as ebonite. Only a portion of the connector base is represented forthe purpose of avoiding repetition. The base 10 has a guide recess 11with a suitable depth and shape (square, round or other) to accommodatethe end of a bobbin 20. In the portion of the base 10c between thebottom of the recess 11 and the bottom surface 10b of the base 10, apair of holes 12 are located. Contact plugs 13 and 14 are inserted inholes 12 and caps 15 and 16 fix the plugs to the base 10.

The bottom end of plugs 13 and 14 are connected with ends of lead wires17 and 18 respectively. The other ends of said lead wires 17 and 18 areconnected to terminals 19:: and 19b respectively of an AC power supply19.

A suitable switch 19c is provided in the power supply or in one of thelead wires so that the power may be turned on and off.

The bobbin 21) has an inner cylinder 21 and an outer cylinder 22 spacedfrom the inner cylinder. The annular space between the cylinders isfilled with heat accumulating material 23, such as paraffin orpolycarbonate.

The inner cylinder 21 is made of high thermal conductivity material, forexample, brass, copper and aluminum and is formed as illustrated in FIG.4 with its bottom end open. The outer cylinder made of hard syntheticresin is formed somewhat larger than the inner cylinder 21 and has aplurality of slip-stop projections a or conical projections with roundedvertexes on its entire outside surface. An annular flange 24 is formedat the open end of the outer cylinder by turning the edge thereofinwardly. The inturned flange of the portion 24 is firmly fixed to theouter surface of the bottom of the inner cylinder 21 by fusion bondingor other suitable fixing means so as to assure a fluidtight joint.

The lower end of the bobbin is of a size to fit in the recess 11 in thebase 10.

The bottom end of the said inner cylinder 21 is provided with a threadedpart 25 obtained by rolling a thread in said bottom end.

A heating unit 26 fits inside the inner cylinder 21. The heating unithas a shell made of heat conductive material which is preferably thesame material as that of the inner cylinder 21 and its size isproportioned somewhat smaller than that of the inner cylinder 21 so asto fit snugly yet freely in the inner cylinder.

The shell of the heating unit is shaped in the form of a cylinder withits both ends totally closed but with the bottom end perforated by holes28 and 29 in which conventional sockets 30 and 31 are engaged and fixed.A threaded portion 25 on the inner cylinder 20 is engaged with threadedportion 27 on the shell ofthe heating unit.

The sockets 30 and 31 are connected electrically with both ends 32a and32b of an electric-heating element, for instance, of Nichrome wire in anapproximate spiral form, through the means of electric conductivematerials 30a and 310.

Since the bottom surfaces of the said bobbin 20 and heating unit 26arranged as above are flush, the above two components if inserted intothe guide recess 11 of the aforementioned base 11 come in close contactwith the bottom 11a of the said recess 11. 4

The operation of the device is as follows.

The heating unit 26 is inserted in the recess 11 of the base and itssockets 30 and 31 are fitted onto the plugs 14 and 13 provided on thebase 10 (see FIG. 5). The inner cylinder 21 of thebobbin 20 is thenfitted over the heating unit 26, and the threaded part 25 of the innercylinder 21 is engaged with the threaded part 27 of the heating unit 26(see FIG. 3). Under these conditions, the bottom surface of the bobbin20 and the heating unit 26 come in close contact with the bottom part ofthe guide recess 11 (see FIG. 3). The bobbin is thus securely positionedon the base. It is also possible to first insert the cylinder 26 intothe bobbin and then insert the assembly into the guide recess of thebase.

When the bobbin 20 is set in the guide recess 11 of the base 10, thepower supply 19 is turned on and current will be supplied to theelectric-heating element 32 through terminals 19a and 19b, lead wires 17and 18 and plugs 14 and 13. This current passes further through theelectric-heating element 32, whereby the electric-heating element 32 ismade red-hot.

When the electric heating element 32 gets red-hot, its radiant heat iscommunicated directly to the heat conductive material of the heatingunit 26 which in turn transmits its heat to the heat accumulatingmaterial 23 through the inner cylinder 21 of the bobbin 20.

Thus, the said heat provided by the heat source 32 warms up the outercylinder 32, while being accumulated inside the said heat storingmaterial 23.

When the bobbin 20 is sufficiently hot, the power supply 19 is shut offand the bobbin 20 is removed from cylinder 26 and hair is twined on theprojections 20a in the usual way. The heat accumulating material 23results in a continuing release of heat from the bobbin. The closed endof the outer cylinder is preferably coated with paint which changescolor when desired temperature is reached.

A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8.

On the top surface 10a of the connector base 10, a ringshaped projection35 forms a guide recess 36 to guide the heating unit 56. The bottom 36aof said recess 36 is provided with two small recesses 37 and 38 openinginto holes 12in the base between the bottom surface 10b of the base 10and the bottom surfaces of said recesses 37 and 38. Sockets 39 and 40 mae of electrically conductive materials are fitted finnly into the holes12. The plugs 50 and 51 fitting the sockets 39 and 40 are arranged onthe bottom end of the heating unit 56 through the medium of a plug base42.

The major portions of plugs 50 and 51 project beyond the lower end ofthe heating unit 56 and the bottom end of the heating unit 56 isfinished smoothly rather than threaded as in the first embodiment. Thebobbin 20, though illustrated schemerous changes in the details ofconstruction and the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas herein after claimed.

1 claim:

1. A curling bobbin and heater comprising an integral outer hollowcylinder having an open end and a closed end with the outside surfacehaving a plurality of projections and having an inwardly directedportion disposed at the open end, an intermediate hollow cylinder havingan open end and a closed end disposed within said outer cylinder, withsaid open end corresponding to said open end of said outer cylinder,said intermediate cylinder being formed of heat storing material, anintegral inner hollow cylinder disposed within said intermediatecylinder and formed of thermally conductive material with said innercylinder having a closed end and an open end and with the portionforming said open end attached to said inwardly directed portion of saidouter cylinder, a'hollow heater cylinder having closed ends and fittingendwise into said inner cylinder, an electrical-heating element disposedwithin said heater cylinder, electrical connector means mounted in abase portion of said heater cylinder, a base having a recessed portionand electrical connector means detachably receiving said means on saidheater cylinder mounted within said recessed portion, a power supply,and circuit connections and switch means for connecting said base tosaid power supply so that when the end of the heater is placed withinsaid recessed portion and connected electrically to said power supplyheat is generated within said heater cylinder and when said bobbin isplaced endwise over said heater cylinder the heat generated istransmitted to said bobbin, said heater cylinder and said inner cylinderof said bobbin being provided with interfitting retaining portionsdetachably securing said heater cylinder to said inner cylinder wherebysaid bobbin and heating element may be detached from said base as a unitif desired.

2. A curling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 wherein said intermediatecylinder is formed of parafin.

3. A curling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 wherein said intermediatecylinder is formed of polycarbonate.

4. A curling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 wherein said heatingelement comprises Nichrome wire formed into a spiral.

5. A curling bobbin and heater. as in claim 1 wherein said recessedportion in said base is proportioned so as to guide the outer surface ofsaid outer cylinder.

6. A curling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 wherein the outer diameterof said heater cylinder closely approaches the inner diameter of theinner cylinder of the bobbing so as to minimize heat transmissionlosses.

7. A curling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 wherein the lower end ofthe heater cylinder and the lower end of the bobbin are flush with oneanother.

8. A curling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 wherein said inner cylinderis of heat conductive metal and said outer cylinder is of molded plasticmaterial.

1. A curling bobbin and heater comprising an integral outer hollowcylinder having an open end and a closed end with the outside surfacehaving a plurality of projections and having an inwardly directedportion disposed at the open end, an intermediate hollow cylinder havingan open end and a closed end disposed within said outer cylinder, withsaid open end corresponding to said open end of said outer cylinder,said intermediate cylinder being formed of heat storing material, anintegral inner hollow cylinder disposed within said intermediatecylinder and formed of thermally conductive material with said innercylinder having a closed end and an open end and with the portionforming said open end attached to said inwardly directed portion of saidouter cylinder, a hollow heater cylinder having closed ends and fittingendwise into said inner cylinder, an electrical-heating element disposedwithin said heater cylinder, electrical connector means mounted in abase portion of said heater cylinder, a base having a recessed portionand electrical connector means detachably receiving said means on saidheater cylinder mounted within said recessed portion, a power supply,and circuit connections and switch means for connecting said base tosaid power supply so that when the end of the heater is placed withinsaid recessed portion and connected electricaLly to said power supplyheat is generated within said heater cylinder and when said bobbin isplaced endwise over said heater cylinder the heat generated istransmitted to said bobbin, said heater cylinder and said inner cylinderof said bobbin being provided with interfitting retaining portionsdetachably securing said heater cylinder to said inner cylinder wherebysaid bobbin and heating element may be detached from said base as a unitif desired.
 2. A curling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 wherein saidintermediate cylinder is formed of parafin.
 3. A curling bobbin andheater as in claim 1 wherein said intermediate cylinder is formed ofpolycarbonate.
 4. A curling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 wherein saidheating element comprises Nichrome wire formed into a spiral.
 5. Acurling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 wherein said recessed portion insaid base is proportioned so as to guide the outer surface of said outercylinder.
 6. A curling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 wherein the outerdiameter of said heater cylinder closely approaches the inner diameterof the inner cylinder of the bobbing so as to minimize heat transmissionlosses.
 7. A curling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 wherein the lowerend of the heater cylinder and the lower end of the bobbin are flushwith one another.
 8. A curling bobbin and heater as in claim 1 whereinsaid inner cylinder is of heat conductive metal and said outer cylinderis of molded plastic material.